"Oh, then you escaped," said Dick, and he and his brothers breathed a sigh of relief.
"Yes, I escaped," answered Randolph Rover. "It was very kind of Mr. Jardell to come to me as he did," he went on.
"Mr. Jardell?" asked Tom. "Who is he?"
"Why, the treasurer of the traction company."
"Then you haven't seen a man named Merrick and another named Pike?" asked Sam.
"Why, no. Who are they?"
"Two rascals who were up to some game. We think they were after your traction company bonds."
"Ha! perhaps—But no, that couldn't be," murmured Mr. Rover, wiping off the spectacles he wore. "I—er—I really do not understand this, boys."
"Tell us what you've been doing, uncle, and then we'll tell what we know," said Dick.
"Um! Well, you know that some time ago I invested in ten thousand dollars worth of traction company bonds—got them through an agent in New York."